I know that I should leave this subject, but if you spend much time on the roads of India with your life flashing before you, you do start observing.
Returning to the issue of lights, on the 6 lane highway we travelled today, North from Delhi, many of the vehicles did not have their hi-beams on. But many did not have lights on at all. This particularly applied to horse/ox carts which share the highway with cars, trucks, buses, motorized and unmotorized rickshaws, bicycles and pedestrians. Most of the later had no lights, while trucks lacked tail lights, or had them obscured. You can imagine hurtling down the highway only to find yourself closing too rapidly on a big truck/ horse cart/ rickshaw and it happening over and over again.
Also, there was an additional lane observation. On the bigger highways, there is no such thing as picking a lane and staying there. To provide more options and flexibility, drivers drive on the lines between lanes. This allows for the avoidance of the un-lit vehicles noted above and also allows the cars behind to use their horns more. This also makes it easier to add the extra lane(s) referred to in an earlier post. Even on the bigger highways you still find those brave souls who go the opposite direction on the shoulder. A little tough when you see them coming toward you with their hi-beams on!
Good thing that Khan, our driver, is experienced, and we arrived back at the hotel safely.
Jim
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